


Growth Opportunities: Chapter Three

by gemini_cole



Series: Growth Opportunities [2]
Category: American Actor RPF, Chris Evans - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-05-06 09:06:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5411027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gemini_cole/pseuds/gemini_cole





	Growth Opportunities: Chapter Three

Growth Opportunities

Chapter Three

 

 

            “Jesus Christ, Honor, just grow a backbone and knock on the damn door.” She sighed. “Great. Now I’m talking to myself. ” Honor shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she stared at the closed office door. It was zero hour, so to speak.  She had spent all weekend trying to talk herself into just accepting the grade as is, and forgo this altogether, but her pride simply wouldn’t allow it. So here she was, Tuesday night, 6:58pm. If it hadn’t been for the light peeking out from under the door, she would have thought no one was here. She closed her eyes and blew out a breath she didn’t know she was holding as she lifted her hand to knock on the door, only to be greeted with empty air.  Her eyes flew open to find Professor Evans standing there bemused as he ushered out another student. Honor awkwardly dropped her hand and stepped out of the way. As she did, she caught the smirk the other student gave her that screamed, “ _I know why you’re here_ ” and Honor groaned inwardly. Great, just what she needed.

            “Honor!” He paused to look left and right down the corridor. “Were you talking to someone? I thought I heard voices. Anyway, you’re right on time. C’mon in. I just ordered the pizza. I never got a response from you, so I hope you’re ok with anchovies and pineapple.” He turned from where he’d been standing by his desk when that didn’t elicit a response. “Honor? Earth to Honor?”

            Honor shook her head as if in a daze. In truth, she’d been mesmerized by the sight of him rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.  Embarrassed at the possibility of having been caught, she mumbled, “I’m sorry, what? Yeah, that’s fine.”

            Chris smiled indulgently and shook his head. “Forget it, it was a lame joke anyway. Are you ok? You seem like you’re a million miles away tonight. “

            Before she could respond, there was a knock at the door. As Chris opened it to find the pizza guy, Honor stared dumbly at the slight flexing of his muscles as Chris reached into his back pocket for his wallet. Did he have to wear his shirts so damn tight? Frowning, she mentally chastised herself, “ _Get a fucking grip, Phillips!”_ While Chris finished with the delivery, Honor stalked over to the couch and perched primly on the edge.

            Chris dropped the pizza box on the table in front of them as he made his way to the mini fridge behind his desk. Pulling out two bottles of beer, he kicked the door closed and came to sit next to Honor. Placing the beer in front of her, he flipped open the box to reveal a half-pepperoni, half veggie pizza.

            “I didn’t know if you were a vegetarian, I thought I should play it safe.”

            “Just so you know, I’m not going to fuck you for a better grade.”

            The slice of pizza he was holding stopped in midair as he turned to stare incredulously at her. Putting the pizza back down, he grabbed a napkin and deliberately wiped his hands as he finally replied, “Excuse me? Did you say what I think you just said?”

            Honor studiously avoided his gaze, fiddling with a tiny rip in her jeans, as she continued, “I’m not some starry-eyed freshman who is going to fall for this lame routine and do whatever you tell me to get a better grade. I mean, I think it’s repulsive, but hey, whatever works for you. I’m just telling you right now, it doesn’t work for me.”

            Chris was silent for a moment, reaching for his beer and opening it. Tipping his head back, he drained several swallows before he set the beer down on the table, replying evenly, “I don’t know if you’ve seen one too many _Lifetime_ movies, or who in your life told you that this is how privilege works, but this was just me trying to give you an opportunity to right a perceived wrong. The pizza and beer was to keep it casual because I think you are taking this too damn seriously, and partly because I’ve been here all day and I’m fucking hungry. Help yourself or don’t, it makes no difference to me.” At that, he stood abruptly, walking to the TV across the room, and silently fiddling with the DVD player.

            “Can I turn down the lights, or will that be seen as making a move? I don’t want to be inappropriate.”

            Honor cringed at the anger and sarcasm in his voice. Struggling to maintain what was left of her composure and appear nonchalant, she shrugged before reaching for a piece of pizza and replying, “Makes no difference to me.”

            She watched as he flipped off one bank of the harsh overhead lighting. Stalking back to the couch, he sat back down and grabbed for a remote control, pushing the buttons vehemently. Setting her pizza to the side, Honor grabbed her book bag from the floor, reaching for her notebook and a pencil to take notes.

            “Watch the movie, Honor.”

            Whipping her head back to face him, the response died on her lips at the imperious look on his face.  He continued.

            “I mean it. Your paper was full of technicalities. I want you to watch the movie, and feel it, not analyze it to death this time.”

            Honor pursed her lips and slowly put her notebook away, feeling oddly naked without it. She set the plate with her pizza on her knees, more to have something to hold than for any real hunger she felt. She leaned forward on the couch, concentrating on the movie, careful to keep a wide berth between herself and the professor.

The silence between them felt oppressive now, and the movie seemed to drag on. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she felt goose bumps race along her skin as she felt Chris’s eyes on her. She wondered if she was supposed to say something, prove herself somehow right now, or save it all for her paper. Fidgeting uncomfortably, she mentally went over the night’s conversation. As usual, she’d let her mouth say what her brain was thinking before she could process it.  “ _Open mouth, insert foot ought to be my motto,”_ she thought. Why in the world did she say what she had said? So stupid. Now, along with hating her, he would grade her poorly for sure, wouldn’t he? As she tried to mentally calculate what dropping the class would do to her GPA, the movie came to an end.  Shooting to feet, she grabbed her things, hoping for a quick getaway. She shouldn’t have been surprised when Chris apparently had more to say.

            “Honor, you applied for a teacher’s assistant position in the journalism department for next semester, isn’t that right?”

            Honor froze in her tracks, and pivoted back to face him. “How did you know that?”

            Chris shrugged. “Interdepartmental meeting. Your name came up. You didn’t get the position.”

            Honor felt her heart drop. She’d been counting on that spot being hers. Knowing the rest of the candidates, she’d thought herself one of, if not the best of the selections. Eying him suspiciously she asked again, “How do you know I didn’t get it?”

            Chris shrugged. “Because I know who they did select. If it makes you feel any better, you are more suited for the job than the person who got it.”

            Honor looked at him, incensed. “How would that make me feel better? If that were the case, why didn’t I get it?”

            “Nepotism. She’s the niece of a professor’s wife or something. It isn’t fair, but it happens.”

            “Why are you telling me this? Are you trying to even the score after what I said earlier? I’ll admit I shouldn’t have said it the way I did, but-“

            Chris interrupted her. “I’m telling you because you’ll be my new TA. You’ve been assigned to me.”

            Honor gaped at him. “You? You aren’t even in the journalism department! What good is that going to do me? Why?”

            He avoided meeting her gaze as he started cleaning up the remains of dinner. Finally he replied stiffly, “I don’t usually have TA’s. I volunteered to take you on after I heard that you weren’t getting the position. I was under the impression that you wanted the position for experience, and for a resume boost. While I realize the film studies department isn’t journalism, I thought you would be happy for the chance. I see now that I was wrong.”

            Honor sighed deeply. This night was turning into a clusterfuck of epic proportions, and she hadn’t had high expectations of it to begin with. Turning once again to face Chris, she finally asked plaintively, “Do I have a choice? Can I think about it? What if I withdraw my name and try again a different semester?”

            He walked her towards the door as he replied, “I wouldn’t be the one to ask, you’d have to bring it up with your advisor. I wouldn’t recommend withdrawing though. As a professor, I can tell you that it makes you look difficult, and ungrateful. Two qualities one doesn’t want in a TA.”

            The unspoken words hung in the air, as Honor frowned. Reaching for the door, she was surprised when Chris opened it for her. As she walked through the archway, he stopped her, his hand on her elbow, turning her to face him once more.

            “And Honor, if ever or whenever I decide to fuck you, I won’t use my position as a professor to do it. We’re both better than that. And it won’t be for a better grade or to purchase my favor, is that clear?”

            With that he gently released her into the hallway, and shut the door smartly behind her.


End file.
